We don’t yet know which airports will fly the routes to Honolulu but it’s almost certain most of those will be from the West Coast to possibly include Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, and Portland.

Southwest plans to utilize the new Boeing 737 MAX for the Hawaii routes. The 737 MAX is hot off the production line as the first delivery just occurred in May. Southwest’s first 737 Max delivery of 14 in 2017, was received August 31st. The 737 MAX offers better fuel efficiency and extended range compared to older 737 models. If deliveries progress as expected, Southwest should be ready to begin operations to Hawaii sometime early next year. Southwest has 200 orders with Boeing for the 737 MAX aircraft.

Bottom Line

More competition for routes to Hawaii is always a good thing and should drive down prices long term. Mrs. TT and I have the Southwest Companion Pass which makes a flight to Hawaii incredibly appealing, especially flying a new bird such as the 737 Max. We’re huge fans of Southwest here at Thrifty Traveler and can’t wait for more news on the new routes. Stay tuned!